It’s that time of year for streaming and gaming – and if you have a bandwidth cap, you’re probably worried about going ‘above and beyond’ your ISP’s data restrictions this holiday. Here’s Worldline’s guide on how the holidays can affect your Internet usage and why an Unlimited Internet plan is a must.

Streaming

With the beautiful birth of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, you’re bound to binge watch your favourite sci-fi series or movies (North American Netflix doesn’t have the original Star Wars available for streaming yet, bummer!), and of course your favourite holiday movies. But with all that science fiction and holiday cheer comes a price. Did you know streaming movies use up to 3 GB of data per hour? Yikes.

If you aren’t a sci-fi junky, perhaps you are all about those cat videos this season. Remember, YouTube and other video streaming platforms requires data, too. So be aware before you get hooked on the fluff.

Tip: Don’t stream in HD. That way, you have more of a chance of using less data during streaming. You can adjust your data usage settings to reduce the bandwidth Netflix uses. For YouTubers, you can adjust the video quality to avoid significant consumption. All that, or get an Unlimited Internet plan and stream as much as your little heart desires.

Video Games

Video games are one of the most popular holiday gifts out there. According to Globe and Mail, 95% of Canadian households own a computer and 61% own a game console. Canadians now have the option to digitally download games in the comfort of their own home. And if you’re a gamer, love your couch and have a bandwidth cap – this may be an issue.

In an IGN article, the author states that with a 15% increase in game sizes year after year, games are not getting any smaller. This goes for both PC games and console games; with a more prominent issue with PC games, as file sizes are often larger.

For this holiday season, games like Fallout 4 are all the hype. Unfortunately, although gamers may purchase a physical copy of this game through retail stores, it cannot be installed solely through the provided CD; an Internet connection and 20 GB of space is required. To summarize, you can no longer rely on physical copies of games to avoid draining your Internet usage, (keep in mind all of this doesn’t include the usage it takes to actually play the games!).

Tip: Double-check physical copies of video game gifts for required Internet usage. If you are purchasing digital games for a special someone (or yourself, we don’t judge!) be prepared for large download sizes. Keep in mind digital distribution platforms like Steam™ use large amounts of bandwidth when downloading, and game updates also use bandwidth. Even idling uses bandwidth. To avoid all this “bye-bye bandwidth” talk, you could always get an Unlimited Internet plan and never worry about overcharges again.

So, for the holiday season, keep these bandwidth suckers in mind or make the switch to an Unlimited Internet plan. There is nothing worse than overcharges showing up on your bill after purchasing loads of gifts for your loved ones. Nobody wants a big bill from Saint Nick, and with good reason!

Holidays – the time of the season for snow, toasty fires and, of course, presents. But those presents usually come with a price, and that price comes with months of preparation in hopes to avoid the blow to your bank account. How do you really avoid it? Easy. It’s time to get bundled – and we’re not talking about layering for the cold weather. We’re talking about how you could have saved $600 or more on your Internet and Home Phone bill this season if you had just bundled early.

A Statistics Canada report states that Canadian households are spending from $70 to $100 or more on their Internet and Home Phone bill. That’s nearly $1,200 a year (you can buy 120 Selfie Stick stocking stuffers for that!). It’s not realistic for the average Canadian household income, and we’re “feeling the pinch” when it comes to Canadian communication prices, according to a CBC News article. If 87% of Canadians are connected to the Internet, why are we sacrificing other areas of our lives for technology essentials?

We shouldn’t be, and that’s why it’s time to make the switch and get a Home Phone and Internet Bundle. Last year in Canada, the CRTC stated there was a total of 10.4 million bundle subscriptions – meaning loads of Canadians are on board! With Worldline’s Home Phone and Internet Bundles, you receive Unlimited Internet (three cheers for no Internet overcharges!) and Unlimited North American calling. So long phone conversations with your loved ones and streaming your favourite holiday movies just got a lot cheaper.

Our Home Phone and Internet Bundles start from $49.95 (much better than the Internet and Home Phone bill average), and with both DSL and Cable Internet options you can choose what works best for your household. That’s not it – with all the home phone features included in your monthly bill, unlike competitor bundles, you’ll really feel like you’re getting a bang for your buck.

Tis’ the season for streaming, speaking and spending – not being overcharged for the essential services you need monthly. Make the switch this year and dodge that hit to your bank account for next year’s holidays. Let’s be real, even Santa has a budget.

Learn more about our Home Phone and Internet Bundles